The Way of the Wicked (Inactive)

Game Master HighonHolyWater

Following Yzera to the other door, Kelvar entered the office and headed for the desk. Perhaps I can find some information that will be of use.

"Well, let's see what we can find out about Blackerly, shall we?"

Perception to search the paperwork: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Okay, then, that means 3 days perishable rations and 1 day iron rations for each player, 9 days of perishable rations for Grumblejack, and 1 day of perishable rations for the prisoner. That's about an even division, seeing as Grumblejack eats more than the rest of us.

Grumblejack can always grab some perishable rations from guards when we finish getting out - leg, arm, rump, all fine cuts.

Rosemary comes out of the pantry with the girl and their share of the food. "Oh good, you've found Blackerly's office. Should be something of use in there. Would someone help me don this armor?" She says gesturing to one of the chain shirts.

"With pleasure," Carnadine replies in order to get his hands on the beautiful dhampir.

"Thank you master Carnadine." she says, instinctively dropping into her sultry flirtatious voice. "I'd be more than happy to carry that greatsword for you in return." she purrs allowing the fellow dhampir to get a bit handsy if he tries.

DMHW can I fashion a sling for that greatsword out of the unraveled leather of the club? just a basic tie the hilt tie the blade and wear it slanted across my back.

Definitely handsy to enjoy the moment and flirtation. "Maybe you can carry my other greatsword when we have time. "

Rose cracks a smile at the bluntness of that pick up line. She pokes Carnadine in the stomach playfully but enough to hurt a little. "Even mid escape, boys will be boys." she sighs. Having finished donning the armor. She slings her makeshift scabbard around her back holding the greatsword in place.

She lines up behind Kelvar but continues to talk to Carnadine. "Has that line ever actually worked for you?" she jokes.

"Never had the opportunity of a beautiful lady offering to carry my greatsword before today. I suppose we'll know later if the line actually works," he replies playfully.

"Back to business. So what are our options?" he heads toward the group looking for consensus.

Oh you guys. Yea that sling idea should be fine Rosemary.

While the two Dhampir assist each other, Kelvar finds a map of Branderscar among the papers.
If you wish to investigate the pages roll an Intelligence check and spend 20 minutes studying them.

Yzera finds this next door locked again and her attempt to unlock fails. Several minutes later with more attempts the door is unlocked and you find a storage room for all the prison's supplies. There are 200 torches, ten lanterns, two 10 gallon kegs of lantern oil, six spare guard uniforms, dozen signal horns, twenty 50’ lengths of rope and two barrels labeled ‘emergency rations’. The emergency rations barrels contain maggoty old iron rations that has gotten wet, moldered and not been replaced.

Hanging in a special rack is also to be found several brands with the runic F symbol and a specially made brazier for heating them. You immediately recognize these items as the brands that marked you. This storeroom is very sparsely supplied and could hold much more.

Yzera takes one of the brands.
Some day I plan on finding those who sent me here. Any who survive shall feel this brand just as I did.

She then takes a length of rope and a lantern.
Any of you know any magic that might be able to carry a lantern and a uniform? We could use it to draw arrow fire while we head for one of the towers.

While someone answers, she will head for the last door, on the west side of the office, and attempt to open it.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Disable device: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Disable device - try 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Disable device - try 3: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Disable device - try 4: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

When Yzera is shown the map, she carefully studies it.
Wonder what that tower in the back is. We could get out through the back wall using that window thing if it works, and hopefully avoid any arrow fire. Once we finish the tower, we could move to the western most wall tower to get up on the walls. That would avoid getting trapped in that entrance which appears to be a death zone, with a lot of defenses.

Strangely enough she finds this door unlocked. This room consists of a bed, a small table and wardrobe. A sparse affair. This is the bed chamber of Sergent Blackerly.

Yzera quickly searches the room, looking for anything of value, and trying to avoid the Sergeant's undoubtedly unclean personal effects.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

my post was lost to both time and space so let me try this again
The Oni-spawn spots his items and snatches them up: a thigh-mounted pouch of shurikens, a pair of sianghams and a pair of kamas. The pouch, full of five-pointed shurikens (in honor of Lord Asmodeus), gets tied around Kaath's right thigh, while the kamas get tucked into his chain-belt and the sianghams tucked into his wrist-chains. He gives them a good tug to make sure they are all secure. He joins the others in the office and notices the storage room. Eyeing the barrels of lantern oil, Kaath gets excited and grabs for one.
"Perhaps a distraction can be arranged, no? Set a fire, use the flames to mislead and then we slip out another door?"

Carnadine looks over the map. "So it looks like 3b is the place to start. After cleaning it out, if we can't open the ceiling trapdoor C, we can use the magic window to make our escape. If we can open that trapdoor, then we have a chance to win the whole gatehouse. We can use that oil to fire where ever we are leaving to give them a good reason not to follow us. We can use those tables as tower shields in case they have archers. Any other ideas?"

What's 7?

It seems to be a fenced in enclosure of some kind. Perhaps for animals.

Have we searched #9 yet? Or did we skip that?

Deciding they didn't have time to look through all of the papers, as the guards could mount a counterattack at any moment, he looked over the map, placing each location in his mind. Looking at Carnadine, he said, "I agree, the gatehouse is likely our best means of egress, but Yzera's plan has merit. It may be we will find an alternate means of escape there."

Kelvar then joins Yzera in searching the Sergeant's room, as he feels there may be something of use hidden there.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

No, we haven't searched 9 yet. I suspect, though, it's the barracks.

I asked, because it was likely that we would have checked that door before heading back out into the main hall. With 10 of us, several could be searching each room. I thought that was the first room we checked when someone looked at the north door. Ended up it was the NW door in the main hall, not the north door in the mess hall.

Yzera and Kelvar search the Blackerly's room and find under his bed a locked strongbox(DC 30). Very heavy, likely containing something of wealth. In his wardrobe is also found a flask of Rotgut whiskey.

Kaath eyes and rolls out a barrel of lantern oil (10 gallon kegs actually). This could easily be used to set something on fire.

"I am not familiar with the workings of locks, Yzera, but perhaps I can aid you in another way." Calling upon Asmodeus, Kelvar casts a bit of divine aid on Yzera.

I'm casting Guidance on Yzera. Don't forget that we have masterwork thieves' tools.

Yzera looks at the lock:
I can probably get this open with those good lockpicks, but it may take a while. That looks to be a fairly high quality lock.

Lets just pack it up and take it with us, with this weight it is probably . Or someone can smash it, although that may destroy whatever is within.

First attempt at DD: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 22

With this being DC30, Yzera could take-20, but with the guards on alert outside, I think it is better to just put the chest in a sack, or have someone strong carry it, and move on.

DMHW, what are the dimensions of the chest?

2'W by 1.5'H by 1.5'D. Bulky but carry-able.
Upto you guys where you go next. No moves made by the guards as of yet... that you can tell anyway heheh

Yzera will head to the barracks since nobody else seems to be going there.

"Right, so a plan could be: I and anyone else who could pass as a guard retreats out of the door towards the gatehouse 3b. We will give them few seconds to open the door and save their "friends" from the prisoners following on our heels. If the guards don't buy our ruse and open the door, Grumblejack smashes it open, unless a lockpicker can work faster. Some of you carry those tables to give us cover until we can get inside the gatehouse. Some of you can carry the oil, so we can fire the gatehouse after we escape. The last one out starts the fire inside this building. Sound good? Ready? We don't have much time."

Yzera keeps looking at the map.
But, why go in through the bottom? I appears as though there are a series of trap doors from the top. If we can get up on the wall, we will avoid the archers and can just drop a barrel of lit oil down the trap doors. That should slow down any who are waiting to surprise us.

I am skilled with my blades, but would prefer avoiding storming a gatehouse at its strongest point.

"How do we get to the wall and top of the gatehouse quickly with cover? Because once we enter the gatehouse, we're effectively free using the magic window. We continue using the tables for cover and fire for distraction."

Carnadine starts stuffing Blackerly's papers into a container, so they can be brought with and read later.

Yzera points at the big tower in the back, and the small towers on the walls.

The guard ran into this tower - she points to the tower closest to the door from the kitchen - I doubt he was running into a dead end.

Thus, I am guessing that some of the other towers also have stairways, or perhaps inner passages. Also, the big tower in the back is listed as the Warden's tower. I do not know who the warden is, but if we can eliminate him, that will leave one less leader to rally the troops and follow us once we get out.

My thought is to place the window here. - she points at the SW corner of the sergeant's bedroom - Then we make for the warden's tower to see what is there.

From the looks of it, we may be able to get out the top and onto the walls from there. If not, we will head for the closest tower, or climb a wall . . . I am fairly good at climbing . . . and get onto the wall so that the guards cannot just pick us off with arrows.

"Warden's tower? To see what's there? With all due respect, are you mad? We are in a fortress prison. Our goal is NOT to conquer it but to escape and disable it. That C in the left gatehouse 3b is a ceiling trapdoor to communicate with the rest of the gatehouse. And look the fortress sits on an island connecting to the land in front of the gatehouse. Shortest path of escape."

Yzera frowns:
I was shot at probably five to six times in the ten seconds I was out chasing the guard. I do not know how many guards are on the walls, but they are going to turn us into pincushions if we just walk across the grounds. You are welcome to pretend to be guards, but I am guessing the one that escaped is going to tell the rest that the prison is a complete loss and all guards are either dead or prisoners. After all, he saw Kaath snap that cook's neck like a twig. I do not think that any bluff or disguise is likely to stop the arrows.

I am not proposing to attack the warden's tower to gain loot, I am proposing to attack it to eliminate the warden. We do not know if he is a priest or a warrior or even one of the magic using types. All I know is that he is in a position of power and command. If we are going to escape with this ragtag band, we need to take every opportunity to eliminate any command structure so that we are not pursued by flight after flight of arrows.

She than points at the twisty causeway.
How many arrows do you think will fall on us while we carefully make our way down this twisty path if we leave guards on the gatehouse?

"That's what the tables are for. Cover from the arrows. I thought that was clear."

Kaath heaves the 10-gallon keg up to his shoulder and rudely walks in between Yzera and Carnadine's bickering.
"Less talking, more doing. You both have valid plans. We won't want to have the Warden rally more of his men to take pursuit. We don't know whether he is a warrior or a wizard. It would be best to take the warden and the sergeant out and leave these guards with little organization. There's also one bridge out. Unless you're all capable swimmers or have some way of flying us out of here, it'll be our only choice.
We've got all these tools in front of us. How're we going to use them? We've quite a lot of rope, two of these kegs of oil, more than enough weapons... I'd love to set the place ablaze, leave our mark and let it be known that Branderscar has failed Talingarde, but of course, that is secondary. Our primary concern is getting out. Alive."
He takes a moment to scan the room, stopping at the servant girl. His black sclera and red pupils drill into her to remind her of her loss suffered by his hands.
"Servant, what is your name? How would you prefer we make our escape?"

"Regardless, I think at this point the guards will assume anyone leaving the central keep is an enemy, and no disguise will convince them otherwise. We can use the tables for cover, but that means we will likely need at least 4 people per table, and not everyone appears to be as strong as others. I am also unsure if one of those tables is big enough to cover Grumblejack, and something tells me this window will not be big enough for him to fit through, either.

As to the warden, I am not so sure he is a threat to us. We have encountered fewer than a dozen guardsmen and a pair of dogs in a prison designed to hold the most notorious and dangerous criminals in all of Talinguarde. We should have encountered twice that number. This warden is either incompetent or has grown so complacent in his position he will likely panic over saving his own hide than organize any competent pursuit. The gatehouse is likely our best hope of escape, the difficulty is in getting there. It's also likely where we'll find Blackerly, as we have yet to see him this evening, and I wouldn't mind splitting his skull."

Rosemary pets the hair of the girl, softly crooning while her partners debate over the path to choose. She adds, "Whatever way we decide, I have strengths to offer. If we stay inside and use the corridors we have many strong fighters that can carve a bloody swath through these Mitrians. If we go outside with the tables, I can summon an unearthly fog to give us additional cover."

Obscuring mist could be most useful, whether we go out the front door, or through the back wall. Only problem is you getting far enough out the door without being shot to get the spell(like ability) off.

Fear fills the girls eyes when Kaath approaches her and she begins to cry again, "nono, please... I don't know... There is a rubbish chute below the south east tower... If you can swim you might make it to the main land... please... the guards at the bridge only open the gates with a password... it's 'hesterfield'..." she stammers and stumbles with her words trying to think of anything that may give her a chance to live through this, never making eye contact with Kaath or any of the others but not pulling away from Rosemary.

I don't want to ruin anyone's plan but those tables are quite solid and very heavy.

I think someone went to the barracks but I forgot about it.
The room north of the mess hall is unlocked. Inside you find half a dozen bunks. Nine are neat and made but three of them look recently slept in as if there was a recent emergency that called them out of bed quickly. On the floor there are also 20 small locked chests (DC 20). Gives an idea of numbers.

Unless someone wants to spend the time, Yzera will skip the barracks until the guards are all dealt with. She wanted to make sure that there were no more guards in the prison who could get at them from behind.

I am ready to move on once we decide whether we are going out the wall on the back, or out one of the doors.

well, the table idea is out, which makes Carnadine's plan a suicide mission.
"A gate password? Hah, like that would matter. I can see it now! 'You must let us go! We are mad, murderous miscreants brought here to die, but-- alas-- we know the password!' Hah, if only. I say we make our way up the back wall like Yzera said.

I don't know that it's necessarily out, it may just mean my 4-person guess was right.

"Let us determine the feasability of Carnadine's plan. We'll see how heavy the tables are."

Leaving Blackerly's office, Kelvar cautiously looks out in the hallway to see if there are any guards out there waiting for them.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Kelvar sneaks a look back out into the hallway to discover it is

Back in the mess hall the tables prove to be quite heavy. Perhaps 2 or 3 on each side could lift a table. Moving in unison is likely going to be slow going however but would provide a decent cover(+4).

Grumblejack lifts a table up almost on his own and tips it over leading to another loud rumble as the wood hits the stone floor. He looks at the Branderscar banner hung on the wall and his mouth forms into a grin. He rips it down and wraps it around his shoulders. "Me king of Branderscar now. I call for all blue shirts heads on a pike."

When Yzera hears how heavy the tables are, she looks concerned.
They would provide great cover. However, we would be moving slow and even with such additional protection, I imagine that eventually the guards are going to start getting shots to hit us.

If Rosemary can coat the grounds in fog, then we should be able to get to any of the doors, the main tower's, the wall towers', or the one on the gatehouse. My vote is still to take out the warden, and then get onto the walls. If the rest make another choice, I will follow as separating will likely result in all of us turned into pin cushions.

Also, using the fog to get the the Warden's tower could enable us to use the window to either move from the tower to the walls directly, or to get into the gatehouse if they have sealed the doors and trapdoors.

"I believe that taking out the warden would be in our best interests. That way, even if we were to somehow be recaptured, the prison would be in such disarray that escaping again would be a cinch."

Yzera turns in surprise at the other humans comment.
Escape again? For some reason I imagine that in the unlikely even we survive and are caught, we will not have the chance to attempt a second escape. I would prefer not failing this first one.

With the description of the tables, Carnadine inspects the beds for lighter mobile cover. "What's the expanse of Rosemary's mist? Can it reach the gatehouse and warden's tower doors?"

"Also, how many guards have we killed? There appear to be 20 that sleep here. Maybe the warden has his own personal crew living in his tower."

"The mists cover a forty foot diameter and I can use that ability up to 3 times." Rosemary remarks. "I don't fancy hefting tables and letting archers take pot shots at us. I merely long to be gone from this place."

"So we would need two times to get to the gatehouse from the front doors allowing you to activate it under cover, and three times to get to the warden's door from that back door."

"Only if we used the door. If we place the window on the back wall, either in Blackerly's Office or his bedroom, we would need it only once, based on the distance, to cover the gap. The window could also get us into the gatehouse if it is locked, providing us a hole to climb through. We can only use it once, I suspect, and must choose wisely. I think, perhaps, we should assault the Warden's tower. If there are other guards in there, they may be capable of better organizing a pursuit."

Yzera points to the two doorways.
Unless there are a ton of guards, we should only need one fog, two at most, to get to the Warden's tower. The guards are going to be focussed on the doors. Thus, we can either open the kitchen door, create a bank of fog, and then run around the back of the prison, where there are probably no guards and where we will have cover from any manning the gatehouse. Or, use the window to simply make a new door directly adjacent to the Warden's tower. If there are any archers there, then use the fog once to provide cover. Once we finish with the warden, we use a second for cover while we scale the walls.

The biggest problem with the gatehouse, is that it is a gatehouse. A defensive fortification and we have no idea how difficult it may be to get in that door. If it is barred, it may well be impossible and we will all be standing out waiting to be shot at.

So, do we go through the wall with the window? Around the back using some magic fog? Or run for the gatehouse and hope they let us in?

She then looks at Kelvar and points at the gatehouse:
Even if the window got us in there, where would we go? We do not know if we could get up that trap door from the bottom, and the guards may well have oil stored there to pour on escaping convicts.

we're stalled again.

"I don't see how the warden's tower will be easier than the gatehouse. And I don't want to use the window until we must. However, we don't have time to study this in committee. Rosemary, please be a dear and start your mist at the kitchen door. We can open the door and follow the mist toward the warden's tower. Let's go. " Carnadine says attempting to start leaving.